Gig

A gig is a one-horse, two-wheeled carriage to be driven without servants, purchased by Roman Potocki in the Austrian company Nesselsdorfer Wagenbau. The stylish gig is a gentleman’s carriage in a natural wood colour, used in the country; it was used by Roman Potocki for trips in the estate and also to get to the hunting appointments. It has a light body, truncated in the seat section with openwork walls made of thin slats and a full back rest upholstered with sand-colour corduroy, similarly to the seat. A soft, gentleman’s wedge is placed on the seat, upholstered with the same corduroy and quilted with buttons. Next to the flat footstool, there is a simple wooden front fender. At the front, there are handles with two small rectangular lanterns. The drawbars are wooden, slightly arched, in 1/3 trimmed with leather, fitted with nickel-plated metal at the ends. The gig of the Potocki family in Łańcut preserved in the original condition is one of few vehicles of this type in Europe. Aldona Cholewianka-Kruszyńska